The Goblin King roared, raising its spear again for another devastating attack. Arthur stepped back, feigning a stagger as though the force of the King's movements alone was overwhelming.
"Gates now would be a great time to finish those goblins!" he called out, his tone bordering on exasperation.
Gates glanced at Arthur, his frown deepening.
The intensity of his attacks increased noticeably, each swing of his blade cleaving through the remaining goblins with accuracy.
One goblin managed to evade a blow and lunge at him, but Gates sidestepped, bringing his sword down in a decisive strike.
"Almost done!" Gates shouted, his tone urgent now.
Arthur noticed how Gates's movements became more powerful, his focus entirely on clearing the remaining goblins as quickly as possible.
Arthur's smirk returned for a fleeting moment. 'You think it's this easy to gauge my strength? Let's see how you feel when you find out about Sylvaris or Sunless. And then there's Neko…'
He knew the cards he held were far beyond what Gates could comprehend, and it made this little act all the more satisfying. Keeping his composure, Arthur dodged another swing from the Goblin King, barely avoiding the edge of its spear.
Arthur decided to finally unsummon Borak. With a poof, Borak disappeared from the battlefield.
"Gates!" Arthur shouted, his tone filled with urgency. "I am alone now!"
Gates and Hank finally cleared the last two goblins.
Gate's breathing was slightly heavy but controlled. He turned toward Arthur, his sword glowing faintly with the residual energy from his skill.
"I'm done! Let's finish this!" Gates shouted, his eyes locking onto the Goblin King.
Arthur nodded, as Hank landed on his shoulder. "About time! Let's take this thing down together!"
Gates nodded pulling a small, vial from his inventory and quickly downing the mana potion. The liquid shimmered as he drank it, and a faint glow surrounded him as his mana bar replenished. "Alright, ready when you are!" he called, gripping his sword tightly.
Arthur glanced at Hank, who stood on his shoulder. "Hank, stay airborne and dive in when you see an opening. Gates take point—I'll back you up."
Gates charged forward without hesitation, closing the gap between himself and the Goblin King.
The massive goblin roared, its spear thrusting forward in a deadly arc. Gates dodged to the side, his movements graceful as he slashed at the King's exposed leg.
Arthur followed closely, his dagger striking as he darted in and out of the fray. He aimed for the King's protected spots, each strike calculated to distract and weaken rather than kill.
Hank let out a piercing cry, launching into the air before diving toward the King. His talons raked across the King's shoulder, drawing a deep gash before he soared out of reach again.
The Goblin King bellowed in rage, swinging its spear in a wide arc. Gates met the attack head-on, his sword clashing against the spear with a resounding clang.
Sparks flew as Gates pushed forward, gritting his teeth against the King's immense strength.
"Fateless, now!" Gates shouted, his voice strained.
Arthur darted in from the side, his dagger slicing through the King's exposed ribs. The King staggered, momentarily disoriented, giving Gates an opening to deliver a powerful slash across its torso.
As the Goblin King's health bar dwindled to a sliver, Arthur's mind raced. 'I can't miss this opportunity. If I land the final hit, I'll secure the kill, meaning I can summon him and gain a rare item. Besides, it's the first drop Gates will see. He'll just think it's luck.'
Arthur adjusted his stance, his eyes narrowing as he waited for the perfect moment. Gates lunged forward again, delivering a fierce overhead strike that knocked the King back a few steps. The King roared in defiance, raising its spear for one final, desperate attack.
'This is it,' Arthur thought, his grip tightening on his dagger.
Hank let out another shrill cry, diving toward the Globin King's face and clawing at its eyes. The distraction was all Arthur needed. He dashed forward, his dagger flashing as he drove it into the King's chest with a decisive strike.
The Goblin King let out one last guttural roar, its massive body collapsing to the ground with a thunderous crash.
Gates, still catching his breath, stared at the faint blue glow hovering above the Goblin King's body. His eyes widened as realization dawned. "Is that… a rare item?" he asked, his voice tinged with surprise.
Arthur nodded, an excited grin spreading across his face. "Indeed, it's a rare item. A Rare Iron Sword, to be exact." He held it up, letting the light catch the blade's faint shimmer. "Quite lucky, right?"
Before Gates could muster a response, a familiar notification chimed in their minds, drawing both of their attention.
[Ding! You have cleared the hidden realm: The Goblin Trials.]
[Ding! The reward is being granted!]
[You have gained Iron Necklace (Rare)]
Arthur's grin widened as another glowing item materialized in front of him. He quickly snatched it up, inspecting the small necklace.
[Iron Necklace (Rare)]
[Description:] Increases physical defence by 10% and slightly boosts mana regeneration.
"Not bad," Arthur muttered, slipping the necklace into his inventory. He glanced at Gates, who also turned around and glanced at him.
Gates crossed his arms, studying Arthur as he asked, "So, what did you get?"
Arthur didn't hesitate, casually pulling out the faintly glowing necklace. "A rare item—Iron Necklace. What about you?"
Gates let out a small sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I got a rare item too, but it was a backpack." He held it up for Arthur to see. "Useful, I guess, but not nearly as exciting as a sword or necklace."
Arthur tilted his head, giving a thoughtful nod. "I see. Well, at least it's practical."
Gates shrugged. "Yeah, but still…"
Arthur changed the topic, glancing at the loot they had gathered. "Alright, so how are we splitting the loot from the monsters? Should we go with 50-50, or whoever gets the kill keeps it?"
Gates thought for a moment before responding. "50-50 seems fairer, doesn't it? We worked as a team, after all."
Arthur nodded in agreement. "Fair enough. For the rare sword, the Goblin King dropped… Since we can't exactly split it in half, and you're the sword user, how about this, you pay me half of what the sword is worth, and you keep it?"
Gates's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "Really? That works for me. Let's do it."
Without hesitation, Gates opened his interface and sent a trade request. Arthur accepted, watching as Gates deposited 20 gold coins into the trade window.
Arthur confirmed the trade with a satisfied smirk. "Pleasure doing business with you."
"Likewise," Gates replied, inspecting his new weapon with a gleam of excitement in his eyes.
With the trade settled the two of them walked toward the exit of the hidden realm. As they reached the portal leading out, Arthur turned to Gates.
"Well, that was a productive run," Arthur said. "Thanks for the invite."
"Not bad at all," Gates agreed, nodding his head. "If you come across anything else , do let me know. I wouldn't mind teaming up again."